Postage stamp dispenser



March 27, 1951 G. GENDl-:RNALIK 2,546,738

POSTAGE STAMP DISPENSER Filed May 51, 1949 i6 2f 2524 4a 25 \Y /f/ fg 7 Eo c. NoE/PNAU/r, whfwxwy INVENTOR- Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT Y OFFICE y2,546,738 POSTAGE STAMP 'DISPENSER Leo G. Gendernalik, Anaheim, Calif.v

Application May 31, 1949, Serial No. 96350.

s Claims. l

My invention relates to a device for use in applying postage stamps, labels, and other adhesive strip material. Since my invention finds particular utility in connection with its use for aflixing postage stamps to gummed envelopes it will be described with particular reference thereto.

One object of my invention is to provide'a postage stamp dispenser which may be conveniently employed for moistening the gummed aps of envelopes as well as for applying moistened stamps to the envelope.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a device which may be rested on atable without wetting the table surface. -Another object of my invention is to provide a postage stamp dispenser with a moistening pad that will wet a postage stamp over only a small limited area when stamps are not being dispensed therefrom.

Another object of my invention is to provide a A stamp dispensing device with a slidably removable top wall member which serves as a cover for a stamp storage compartment and a longir tudinal dispensing slot.

The foregoing and other objects of my invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the stamp dispenser;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the stamp dispenser;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the stamp dispenser taken o n the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a vtransverse sectional view of the stamp dispenser taken on the line 4--4 of Fig# u re 3v. H y y v,

Referring to the drawing, the postage stamp Idispenser which is shownv there,y and which is vconstructed in accordance with the principles of my invention, includes a base structure IIJ and a top cover member I2 which cooperate to dispense a perforated roll of stamps 20.

The base structure I includes a lower wall structure I4 which comprises a rear wall section I4 and a lower arm section I6, and also includes two side wall members I3. The lower arm section I6 comprises a lower wall 2| and an upper Wall 22,` whichtogether with the side wall members I8, define a longitudinal space which is divided by a transverse wall member 24 into a water reservoir 26 and a moistening pad compartment 28. The transverse wall member 24 is so arranged as to provide communication between 2 -v the wall reservoir 26 and the moistening pad compartment 28. For convenience such communication may be established by perforations 25 in the transverse wall member 24. A replaceable stopper 21 projecting through a port 29 in the rear portion of the lower wall 20 is employed to facilitate filling the reservoir 26 with water. All walls of the dispenser are made of a transparent material in order to facilitate visual examination of the roll 20 of postage stamps.

The forward end of the lower wall 2| is curved slightly upwardly so as to form a chin 36. The forward ends of the upper and lower walls 2| and 22 together forma restricted opening or mouth 38 to shape a moistenin'g pad 40 to form a moistening tonguey 42, which projects slightl upwardly above the upper wall 22.

The portions of the two side wall members I8 which lie above the upper wall l22 of the lower arm section I6 are provided with two inwardly facing channels 4I which extend rearwardly from a point 43 adjacent the front ends of the lower arm section I6. The channels 4I lie parallel to the two Walls 2I and 22 of the lower arm section I6. The front ends 43 of the channels 4I act as stops and the rear ends 44 are open.

The cover member I2 comprises a straight forv ward section 46 and a'downwardly curving rear arcuate section 48. V'AIhe forward section 46 is slidable within the two channels 4I and is provided with upwardly bent portions 50 on oppo site sides thereof to assist in frictionally retain ing it in the channel 40. The forward end 49 of the cover member I2 is slightly narrower than the reraining portion of the straight section 46 so as to form two, shoulders 52 which abut the stops 43, thus enabling the forward end 4'9 of the forward section 46 to be located in a prede-v termined position relative to the lower wall structure I0. The forward end 49 is bent slightly downward to form a resilient retaining finger which is adapted to press a stamp against the moistening tongue 42.

When the cover member I2 is placed on the base structure I0, the downwardly curving rear arcuate section48 of the cover member I2 and the rear wall section I4 of the base structure co= operate with the side wall members I8 to form a cylindrical stamp storage compartment 60. The straight section 45 of the cover member I 2 co, operates with the upper wall 22 of the lower arm section I6', and the two `side wall members I8 to form an arm having an elongated slot 62 which extends longitudinally and tangentially from the upper end -of the stamp compartment 6i!tr An elongated opening 64 large enough for in sorting a thumb is located in the forward end of the top wall member I2 for the purpose of .advancing stamps forwardly in the slot-2 between the finger 49 and the tongue 42.

In order to prepare the devi'eefor luse,.a mois?. l

that when the lower curved wall I4 of the storage compartment and the chin 36 lie in contact with a flat table, the tongue 42 itself stands above the surface of the table. This prevents the tongue from wetting any table upon which the device is so rested. Also it is to be noted that if desired the device may be rested on a table upside down or on either side without the tongue 42 contacting `and wetting the table.

The device described above may not only be employed to dispense postage stamps arranged in rolls, but may also be employed to dispense a strip of postage stamps. In this case, Where only a .strip of postage stamps is available the stamps are positioned in the slot 62 in the compartment '60 with the rear end of the strip projecting outv yvardly through the gap 6 l.

tening pad 40 of predetermined length `isforced through the mouth 38 into the compartment 28.

In practice it is found most satisfactory if the tongue 42 projects outwardly of the mouth 38 'approximately one-eight ofran inch or slightly less. Next the stopper 21 is removed and the water reservoir 26 filled with water and the stopper replaced. After a short time, water seeping through the perforations meistens the meistening pad 40 throughout its entire length, including the tongue 42. `The moistening pad 46 is formed of a plain piece of felt or other moisture-retaining material normally of rectangular configura tion and having a normal thickness greater than the width of the mouth 238. Thus the padv is readily retained in place by being compressed between the upper and :lower sides of the mouth. i' AAlso in'preparing the device for use the cover member `I 2 is withdrawn rearwardly, thereby providing access to the compartment 69 ,and the slot 52. AV suitably perforated gummed roll 2Q of postage stamps is then placed in the compartment 60 with its end extending lengthwise along the upper wall 28. The cover member l2 is then replaced and theY dispenser is ready for use.

When it is desired to apply a postage stamp to an envelope, the user presses his thumb through the opening 64 against the strip of postage stamps and the strip is pressed forwardly past the tongue 42.V Inasmuch as the forward end 49 of the cover member l2 presses downwardly against the tongue 42, 'the stamp becomes thoroughly moistened along its entire length. The moistened ystamp extending from the Yslot 62 is then pressed into position on the envelope and is torn from the strip along the Vadjacent perforations. vThis process `may be repeated anyv number of times desired as long as the roll of stamps lasts.

1t is to be 'noted that whenthe dispenser isnot in use, onlya very small portion of Athe forward-e most stamp contacts the' tongue 42. vAs a result, even though some of the :adhesive'on thestamp may be dissolved by the moisture in thetongue. the area from which such adhesive isremoved is .such a small portion of the ltotal area of the stamp that it does not seriously impair the eifec tiveness of the adhesive coating. Y

The dispenser described above may not only be employed for amxing stamps to envelopes but may also be employed for moistening the gummed flaps of envelopes or other gum-med surfaces. This may be .accomplished readily by pressing the tongue 42against the gummed surface in ques'.- tion. This use of the device is facilitated by virtue of the fact that the mouth 3S faces forwardly outwardly of the lower arm section I6.

v The length of the tongue 42-is so proportioned relative to the various dimensions of the device Though my invention has been described above particularly in its application to the dispensing of postage stamps and the moistening of envelopes, it will be obvious that it may also be `.employed with strips of other Vkinds of material provided with an adhesive coating on .one side thereof, and for the moistening ofother adhesive surfaces. Therefore it is to be Aunderstood that my invention is not limited to the details of con? struction shown and described but that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for .a definition of my invention. Y

I claim:

I. In a device of the V,class `described. fordiss pensing adhesive-bearing paper of vpredetermined width, a base structure comprising an upwardly curving arcuate Wall section and a lower arm sen-je tion extending outwardly therefrom, side wall members secured to said arcuate wall section and said lower arm section, said side wall members being spaced apart a distance greater than the width of said paper, said side wall members in; cluding track-defining means providing inwardly facing channels at the upper edges thereof, means defining stops on said track at the Aforward ends thereof, and a cover member having a downwardly curving rear arcuate section and a substanf tially straight forward section, said forward section slidably engaging `said tracks and being provided with shoulders for engaging said stops, said shoulders being spaced rearwardly from the forward end of said forward section such va distance that the forward end of said cover member. ex-v tends slightly forwardly of said lower arm section, thereby forming a longitudinal slot which is foreshortened on the lower side thereof, said two arcuate Lwall sections and said side walls forming a substantially cylindrical compartment tan"- gentially arranged with respectto said slot'sa'i'd cylindrical compartment being free of' any'internal obstruction adjacent the center thereof, and means formed in said base structure forsupl porting a moistening pad in the foreshortene'd portion of said slot in position to contact a strip of adhesive-bearing :pa/per pushed forwardly therein.

2. In a device of the class described, a base vstructure comprising an upwardly extending wall section and a lower arm section extending outwardly therefrom, side wall members seoured't said wall Section and said lower arm section,*a cover member having av forward section slidably engaging said side wall members and having a downwardly extending rear arcuate section and having an opening adjacent the forward end thereof, said base structure and said Wall mem#- bers when engaged forming a compartment hav ing an elongated slot extending longitudinally forwardly therefrom, the rear portions of said wall section and said cover member being spaced apart to form a rear opening to provide access to said compartment, and means formed in said base structure for supporting a moistening pad at the outer end of said slot in position to contact a strip of adhesive-bearing paper pushed forwardly therein,

3. In a device of the class described in which an arm is provided with wall structure dening a longitudinal slot enclosed on all four sides, said slot extending outwardly from a storage compartment adapted for housing a roll of adhesivebearing paper, the improvement therein which comprises, a moistening compartment formed in the lower portion of said arm and integrally therewith, said compartment having a mouth which communicates with said slot over a short distance at the outer end thereof, said mouth being adapted to hold a portion of a moistening pad at the end of said slot, and a pressure member formed by a portion of said wall structure located opposite said mouth, said pressure member projecting toward and being resiliently urged toward said mouth for pressing such paper into firm contact with said pad portion.

LEO G. GEN DERNALIK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 509,053 Shebbeard Nov, 21, 1893 967,767 Harwell Aug. 16, 1910 20 1,003,267 Jones Sept. 12, 1911 

